Star Trac partners with NIRSA Foundation to provide financial support for professional members to attend the 2014 NIRSA annual conference. The document features profiles of various professionals in collegiate recreation, outlining their backgrounds, career journeys, and contributions to their respective institutions. Additionally, it highlights the importance of networking and professional development opportunities within the recreation field.

2. Star Trac is excited and honored to partner with NIRSA
Foundation to offer NIRSA’s Professional Members financial
support to attend the 2014 NIRSA Annual Conference.
The newly launched NIRSA Foundation Travel Assistance
Stipend allows leading professionals the opportunity to
advance their career in the field of collegiate recreation by
networking and gaining valuable knowledge without
shouldering the expenses of travel and lodging.
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3. Chris Cody,
Facility Manager
University of Texas at
Dallas
Meet Chris Cody:
“University of Texas, at Dallas, is the first school I worked
at after graduating.
I attended UTD to get my undergrad in Criminology with a
minor Chemistry. While pursing my degree, I worked for
other departments on campus, but I always heard great
things about the Activity Center (Recreational Sports
department). After graduation, there was an opening on the
professional staff. I talked with the director and other
professional staff. We hit it off, and I joined on.
Even though I enjoyed my job, it was originally only
supposed to be only that: a job. I was pursuing my master’s
degree at the time, and I planned on going to another field
upon completion. As I immersed myself into the Recreation
Sports world, I realized all the opportunities that our field
has available. I finished by degree and applied for a
promotion in our department. I got that and have been
enjoying Recreational Sports from then on.
Ι know plenty of maintenance/repair tricks to share with
other facility people, but something that I tell our students is
that there are so many opportunities in our field. And
although the pay might not be the highest, we’re typically
the happiest people on any campus.”
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4. M ichelle Cunningham
Intramural and Club Sports Coordinator
Salem State University
Meet Michelle Cunningham:
This is my first school that I am working at in the Fitness &
Recreation Field. My first position out of school was as a Sports
Information Assistant at Assumption College in Worcester, MA. I
then moved on to Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA to be the
assistant Women’s Basketball Coach. I continued my coaching path
at Salem State University when I was named head coach in 2011.
I wanted something more than just coaching which led me to apply
for the position of Intramural and Club Sports Coordinator.
I attended Salem State from 2004-2008. I was a member of
the women’s basketball team, a three year president of the
Student Athlete Advisory Committee and Vice President of the
Sport Fitness and Leisure Studies Club. The experience and
the people within the athletic department and the campus as a
whole really made me want to work there. As a homesick
freshman I was looking for something to occupy more of my
time and help me feel a since of belonging.
I wanted to work within a field that would keep me active. I
also knew that I wanted variety in my work day and to have a
direct impact of the students that I work with to positively impact
their college experience.
We are a brand new recreation department. We’re putting
together late night at the gym events where on certain Fridays
thru the spring semester we are staying open until Midnight and
hosting special events like a March Madness Basketball
Challenge, Expresso Bike Bracket Races, Trivia Night and a
campus wide dodgeball event.
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5. Nicole McKibben
Programming and
Promotions Coordinator
South Dakota State University
Meet Nicole McKibben:
I began my employment with South Dakota State University in 2008 as an
Admissions Counselor. I enjoyed traveling and recruiting new Jackrabbits, but in
2013 was hired as the Programming and Promotions Coordinator in the SDSU
Wellness Center and absolutely love it!
I did not attend South Dakota State University as a student. I completed my
Undergraduate Degree at Iowa State University, where I studied Communication
Studies. I received my Master’s Degree from The University of Northern Iowa in
Organizational Communication. I am passionate about improving the lives of
students. In the Department of Student Affairs, that is one of our main focuses.
Part of my position is to promote the wide variety of fitness and health
programming we have going on within our facility. I take pride in working for a
university that understands the importance of health and fitness and what an
impact it can make in student’s success.
The Wellness Center is a facility that includes the areas of Fitness, Recreation,
Wellness & Nutrition, Student Health & Counseling, Family Planning, and
Pharmacy. All of these areas are under the same roof and department. My
responsibility as the Programming Coordinator is to promote each area equally.
We are also unique in the fact that we have recently opened our facility up to
internal and external advertisers. In the last year we have started generating
revenue through our advertising spaces.
The Wellness Center is located on campus and the primary recreation facility for
students at South Dakota State University, but we are also open to community
members. On a daily basis we accommodate all different age groups including
youth, students, families, and older adults. These unique characteristics make the
Wellness Center more than just a recreation facility, it is a place where students
and community members alike feel like they connect with each other while
enriching their overall wellness.
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6. Josh Stover
Assistant Director, Wellness Center
Shepherd University
Meet Josh Stover:
This is my first school as a professional. I attended Slippery
Rock University for my undergraduate degree.
Previously I was an intern with Mount St. Mary’s University’s
Recreation Department and prior to that I worked as an
undergraduate with Slippery Rock University’s Campus
Recreation Department.
My supervisors at Slippery Rock (Greg Sferra and Karen
Perry) were my inspiration to want to work in the campus
recreation field. I worked with them for three years and
during that time they gave me several opportunities to grow
as a student employee. I still look up to them and reach out
to them for advice on certain items.
I enjoy working in environment where students and patrons
“want to be” rather than “have to be”. Very few people come
into a fitness center in a bad mood and if they do hopefully
they are leaving in a better mood.
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7. Kyle Smith
Assistant Director, Recreation Center
California Baptist University
Meet Kyle Smith:
Before coming back to California Baptist University, I worked at Concordia
University - Irvine as one of the Assistant Directors in Residential
Education and Services.
I received my bachelor’s degree from CBU and came back after
completing Graduate school and gaining professional experience at other
institutions. What was defining as an undergrad and continues to be a
character in CBU culture, is a strong commitment to community. Faculty
and Staff at CBU genuinely care for the students wellbeing (physically,
intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually).
It was a little unconventional how I landed in the recreation field. Student
development is my passion and I have always desired to diversify my
experience in higher education. I chose to pursue my master’s degree in
Student Development, while fulfilling my assistantship hours in Campus
Activities and Student Mobilization.
Joining the Recreation Center team at CBU was the perfect opportunity to
further my experience and knowledge of Student Development/Higher
Education. Being able to work in a department that deeply cares about
wellness is simply, ‘icing on the cake’.
The people have been the inspiration of working in Recreation/Higher
Education. Having the opportunity to work with students and great
professionals, like Stefani Plummer, has been a true blessing.
Currently my focus is student development. We have a unique opportunity
to invest in over 100 students focusing on skills they can use beyond their
job within Recreational Sports. Being a smaller school, we have a strong
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sense of community and that becomes a huge benefit as we pour into our
student workers.

8. Bob Weeks,
Coordinator of Aquatics - Campus
Recreation
University of Cincinnati
Meet Bob Weeks:
I attended the Ohio State University and
worked at their facility (Larkins Hall at
the time) as a lifeguard and Crew
Chief. Working there, combined with
my experience at other pools, is what
led me to a career in recreation.
Once I graduated from OSU, I realized
that I loved working at pools. I began
building a career out of it, working at
various locations around the Columbus,
Ohio area. I then moved to State
College, PA where I was the Pool
Operator for the local high school for
five years before coming back to Ohio in
October 2010.
All staff event Battleship tournament.
Aquatic team (in
undersized jerseys)
prior to a Kinball game
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